12 Nigerian Music Acts To Watch Out For In 2017

If you were told to bet on any Nigerian artiste who would churn out smash hits, break new grounds, sell out shows in thousands and also give us a lot to shu-shu about; who would that be?

Whose career will you follow up the most because you are sure he will do the unbelievable? There are certain Nigerian artistes to watch out for this year. We have however selected the most intriguing few from the rest of the flock.

These would be our nominees

1Tekno

The Bauchi state born barracks boy Augustine Miles Kelechi is destined and even more determined to take the Nigerian sound to the world. Yes, the bloke is still basking in the euphoria of his Sony Music/Columbia records deal. Everything seems to fall in place for Tekno with a good push his music should break into the American market. I put my money on this one.

2Korede Bello

King of the Bellovers fandom has an uncanny way of creating hits for himself. Most times it comes out as unexpected. As one-third of the Mavin 2.0 he looks like the next in line for a full body of work. His recent ‘Do like that’ has shown he may have transformed into the “bad boy” stereotype and grown out of churning baby lyrics. With his strong overseas followership it’s a safe bet he can work magic this year.

3Davido

One of biggest expectations from OBO would be his sophomore album. 2017 will be the year Sony Music transforms Davido into a certified global music star and we here in Nigeria can’t wait for it. For Davido it will be a fresh start as he hopes to break into the global market.

PS: Davido presently is no more with Sony Music Global, that could be traced to the recent sack of his manager and rant about being fed up of international fame.

4Saeon Moruda

Songstress turned rapper Saeon is one you should keep your eyes peeled for. All things being equal she will be the “real” femcee Nigerian music needs at the moment. It’s not bad if you see Saeon as a type of Dej Loaf. So far her singles Debe and recently Aii explains why she ain’t in for jokes.

5Sugar Boy

Ghetto-Worldwide will now decide to do for Sugar Boy what had been done for his label mate Kiss Daniel. Already the Ajegunle breed singer has kicked off the year with a new tune “Dada Omo”, the love song is very auspicious at the moment. Except something big coming from this dance hall singer.

6Terry Apala

Terry Alexander Ejeh is a must watch with his inventive “Apala Hip-Hop” sound. His profile is on a steady climb as he has worked with a bunch of Industry veterans. Headies Awards 2016 “Rookie of the Year” nominee, Terry Apala hopes to penetrate more territories with his very own unique sound. Get familiar with his previously released singles and you will understand he will have a promising 2017.

7Mr Eazi

Without having to say it, everyone would be looking out for Mr Eazi this year. He took the Nigerian music market by storm with his Ghanaian influenced sound. This year he promises a mixtape, we are all expectant as we hope to see the “Next Rated” act do some wonder with his banku music.

8Runtown

Maybe it’s just me, or has anyone thought Runtown is very much underrated? Sadly, it’s the obvious truth. 2017 is looking good already for the dada sporting singer. His November release ‘Mad Over You’ has fully blown up this January as far as landing him on billboard charts. Douglas Agu must surely have another magic in the bag for us this year. Keep your fingers crossed.

9Wizkid

In the last year Wizkid’s worth compounded a hundredfold, and the joke is that he hasn’t even started. Wizkid has also worked himself independently into the billboard charts with Daddy Yo, the song is still gaining widespread acceptance. Keeping up with the star boy might be one hell of a rollercoaster ride, that’s notwithstanding we are in for all of it.

10Iyanya

Former TripleMG co-owner now Mavin act. For some it’s a step backwards for Iyanya and others see it as a step up for growth for the artiste. The music industry is very curious about how this partnership with Mavin record pans out for Iyanya as his career hits a reset button. For me I’ll grab popcorn find a comfortable chair and watch as things unfold for Iyanya. Last last we go know if that switch was necessary the redemption his career needed.

11Simi

I’m sure i’m not the only one who wants to witness what petite songstress Simi will metamorphose into. She bears all markings of greatness, now it’s time for her to manifest. In a very good way of course.

12Bella

A curve ball on this list is the recently signed, Bella Alubo. She just inked a deal with Tinny Entertainment, and big things are expected from the J-Town rapper in 2017. Her 2016 mixtape, Lucid Dreaming got a lot of heads turning and critics talking, but if you’ve been following us here, you’ll know we’ve had high expctations from her for a while. A deal is place, now the sky is the limit.